Jack Lee Fong

Jack Lee Fong (方創傑), 97, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at his home in San Francisco, California. He was born in November 1926, in Shung Hong village in the Hoy Ping District of the Pearl River Delta of China, to Fong You Shen and Quan Nuey Foon, as son #3 in a family of five children. He immigrated to America in 1949.

He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. Jack had an outgoing personality. He always had a smile on his face and loved to joke with others. Jack was a good speaker in English as well as in Chinese, and was a leader in the community. Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown once said Jack Lee Fong was the Mayor of Chinatown. Jack also liked to travel and to take pictures. He always would take pictures of people when they met. Jack always asked people to remember to use his camera when group photos were snapped shouting “My camera, my camera!”

Jack had a heart for family, education, and helping others. He was able to help because of his business success in the Jack Lee Fong Insurance Agency. Jack also had business ventures in restaurants, the Palace Theater, United Federal Bank and real estate investments.

Jack was involved in many many educational and community organizations to give back for his success. These groups included Chinese Hospital, Hip Wo School, Soo Yuen Benevolent Association, Kai Ping Middle School Alumni Association, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (Chinese Six Companies), Sue Hing Benevolent Association, Pui Ying School, Chinese Athletic Association and many other groups too numerous to list.

He obtained United Nations UNESCO World Heritage recognition for the Kaiping Diaolou Watchtowers in China.

Jack was part of the Greatest Generation, surviving war and economic hardships, building family and business from nothing to prosperity, and giving back generously to others with his time and money, to pay it forward to our next generation. He lived an extraordinary life with an amazing impact leaving the world a better place.

Jack is survived by his wife Dorothy Der Fong (方謝潔霞) and his four children (and spouses) - Ronnie Lee Fong方柏林 (Stephanie), Selina Lee Fong 方美蓮, Dr. Michael Lee Fong 方柏權 (Frances), and Julia Lee Fong 方美梅 (Robert) and by nine grandchildren (and spouses): Alex, Teddy (Hunter), Nicholas (Melody), Jessica, Josh, Jonathan, Robbie, Jack, and Joey.

A Celebration of Life/Funeral Service will be held at Green Street Mortuary, 649 Green Street, San Francisco, California 94133, at 11:00 AM, Monday, August 19, 2024. Burial will be the same day at 1:30 PM at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 1100 El Camino Real, Colma, California. A longevity lunch will follow.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Chinese Hospital’s Fong Family Lung Health Challenge in honor of Jack’s late daughter-in-law Joan Chen Fong (方陳麗華) at https://bit.ly/FONGLCSICCHP or to a community charity of your choice.

Condolences may be left on Jack Lee Fong’s online guest book https://bit.ly/JackLeeFong

To learn more about Jack Lee Fong, read this extraordinary article in the Chronicle at https://bit.ly/JackLeeFongNews

Live Stream for 8/18/2024 Visitation 3-5 pm athttps://evt.live/jack-lee-fong-viewing-chinese-assn-ceremonies

Live Stream for 8/19/2024 Funeral Service 11:00 am -12:30 pm at https//evt.live/jack-lee-fong-celebration-of life-funeral